Design: 1932-34Production: 1935 to c.1955Manufacturer: Metz & Co., AmsterdamSize: 75 x 37 x 44.5; seat height 42.5 cmsMaterial: red-stained elm, brass screwsAs a variation on the model of a chair without back legs first developed by Mart Stam, Gerrit Rietveld’s “Zig-Zag” chair remains one of the most radical formulations in furniture design. Presumably the immediate forerunner was Heinz and Bodo Rasch’s eye-catching “Sitzgeiststuhl” (sitting spirit chair) of 1927. Its shape, which the Rasch brothers fashioned to match the posture of a person sitting, consisted of a base and a curved surface bent twice for the back and the upper and lower thighs. Comparable to tendons in human limbs, the construction of the rounded side sections is thus stabilized. Rietveld abstracts from the quite complicated but structurally correct form to create a simple zigzag, but the logic of the construction suffers. Actually a whole series of tests were necessary to achieve a practical solution. “Zig-Zag” appears to completely contradict our ideas of a usable piece of furniture since its free-standing surfaces appear to collapse as soon as any weight is placed on them.
However the chair is stabilized by dovetail joints between the seat and back, reinforcements with screws and nuts, as well as wooden wedges in the corners. Rietveld was very much aware of the discrepancy between the simple shape and the relatively complicated construction and said himself, it is not a chair but a “designer joke.” The actual goal of the design was to create a functional form which does not displace space but allows it to be perceived as a continuum; indeed, of Rietveld’s entire body of work the “Zig-Zag” represents the most economical example of such a form. It is an uncompromising transposition of minimal requirements onto a chair, reduced to such an extent that even the screws appear to be decorative. An idea that always accompanied the history of furniture design – of mechanically producing a chair from a single continuous form – led Rietveld to his first experiments with bent, spliced plywood in 1927. In 1932 he began designing what later became the so-called “Zig-Zag” chair for the Amsterdam furniture manufacturer, Metz & Co. Plywood or chip wood on a metal frame was a failure, however.
Not until 1934 did he succeed in creating a stable, very comfortable, and even stackable version. From 1935 this was produced with somewhat differing proportions, connections, and surface treatments by both Rietveld’s master cabinetmaker and Metz & Co., in great numbers up until the fifties. The model shown here stems from such a production in the thirties. The producer of today’s version of the “Zig-Zag” is the Cassina Company which purchased the rights to manufacture all of Rietveld’s furniture designs in 1971. Rietveld used the “Zig-Zag” together with a matching table in many of his later interiors and also created an armchair version with and without a perforated back, as well as a “Zig-Zag” children’s highchair. Add Item to Cart Buy with Confidence with Associated with the De Stijl group since 1918, Rietveld shared the artistic ideals of its central figures, Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian. With it minimalist, architectonic profile—easily moved and stacked—the Zig-Zag Chair embodies the goals of early modernism and has become a centerpiece for countless museum collections around the world.
With the Zig-Zag, Rietveld was aiming at the holy grail of modernist design: a chair created from a single material in one continuous form. This objective was not achieved until the 1960s (when Vernor Panton launched his eponymous chair), but Rietveld’s attempt is nonetheless regarded as a significant achievement in design history.This model was produced in 1950 by Rietveld’s lifelong manufacturing partner, Gerald van de Groenekan, for the famous Amsterdam luxury department store, Metz & Co. Made from red stained elm with embedded brass screws, this version, like many later models, employs an elaborate system of sophisticated dovetail joints. Gerard van de Groenekan Made for the Metz & Co. department store in Amsterdam. Front Door Delivery - 2 to 4 weeks Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order. Returns accepted within 14 days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items (Included in Every Order)
A skilled driver will unload the item(s) from the delivery truck and bring it to your building’s doorstep. You will be responsible for further transport beyond that point. We recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand; alternatively, you may upgrade to In-Home Delivery (see below). The delivery partner will email and/or call you at least one day in advance to arrange a delivery time. A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection. Item will be left in its packaging after delivery. A signature will be required upon delivery. (Optional Upgrade at Checkout) A skilled driver or a team of two will bring your item(s) inside your home and place it in the immediate entryway. For unusually large or heavy items, we recommend asking a family member or friend for an extra hand, as we cannot send more than 2 drivers. The delivery partner will email and/or call you one day in advance to arrange a delivery time.
Please examine every order upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damage or missing or incorrect pieces, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note and contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations of missing, damaged, or incorrect item(s) represents your acceptance of the complete order in perfect condition.Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld's Zig-Zag Chair is the final entry in our alphabetical advent calendar of iconic chairs. The Zig-Zag Chair is formed of four flat wooden sections joined to create an angular form that appears fragile but is reinforced by clever joinery so it can support the sitter. It was designed by Rietveld in 1934 and represents a formal expression of the principles of abstraction advocated by the De Stijl artistic movement, which focused on basic forms and primary colours. The chair evolved from the designer's attempts to produce a functioning seat from a single continuous shape, which initially saw him experiment with materials such as bent plywood and steel plate.
Solid wood was eventually determined as the most suitable material, and Rietveld employed the carpentry skills learned in the workshop of his joiner father to give the chair the required stability. Dovetail joints fix the backrest to the seat and two wedges fitted with dowels attach the angled support to the seat and base. The simplicity of the solution led Rietveld to describe the piece not as a chair but a "designer joke". From 1935 it was produced in different versions by Amsterdam furniture manufacturer Metz & Co. Rietveld went on to use the chair in many of his later interior designs and also developed an armchair version and a children's highchair based on the same principle. Italian furniture brand Cassina bought the rights to manufacture all of Rietveld's furniture designs in 1971 and offers the Zig-Zag Chair in natural cherry or ash, as well as in stained yellow, blue, red, black and white versions with an exposed natural wood edge. Earlier this year, another of Rietveld's classic designs – the Steltman chair – was reissued by Dutch furniture label Rietveld Originals to mark the 50th anniversary of its design.